


Fancy Dress

by Wallwalker



Category: Star Ocean: The Second Story | Second Evolution
Genre: F/F, Post-Game(s), Society Balls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-14
Updated: 2015-03-14
Packaged: 2018-03-17 20:03:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3542117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wallwalker/pseuds/Wallwalker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rena ends up at a society party with Opera, and decides she doesn't like them very much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fancy Dress

**Author's Note:**

> For Femslash February a couple of years ago. Set after the [Rena + Opera](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_XLP6NSMQk) ending.

You've decided that you don't like these fancy dress parties at _all._

It's strange, even to you - when you were growing up you thought that you'd love them, and you'd even asked your parents to promise to take you to one someday, a promise that they were never able to make. But now that you're at one, all you can think about is wanting to leave. 

Your dress, for instance, is a lovely peach silk that you would've adored on a model in a shop, but now that you're wearing it, you just can't sit still. You can't stop yourself from brushing at it, afraid that there are crumbs on it, somehow. It's silly, because you've barely eaten all night - you've been too nervous to eat too much, and it's probably just as well, because these clothes are a little bit tighter than you're used to. 

No, that's not right. They're a lot tighter. And you're the only one who's the slightest bit _bothered_ by it. Everyone else around you - Opera included - stands up straight and smiles back when people smile and talk to them, and they always know what to say without their minds seeming to short out as they try to carry on a conversation. You've tried a few times, and honestly, you were so nervous as you started talking about your historical studies and your experiences at the university that you're not sure what you actually said. At least they were too polite to laugh at you if it was utterly ridiculous. 

This isn't you. None of this is you, not the dress, not the carefully curled short hair, not the makeup that Mrs. Vectra insisted you wear, none of it. You want very much to be back home, reading one of your books or getting ready for the next test. You probably would've run away by now, if Opera wasn't by your side, her hand on your shoulder when you look too unbearably nervous. 

Being here is important, for some reason. They needed to meet you, Mrs. Vectra had explained, although she didn't say who _they_ were or why they needed to meet you in particular. It was something to do with the culture of the time, and wanting to know who it was that Opera had brought home from some other planet - some mysterious planet, from all accounts, even though you don't think that Expel is terribly mysterious! 

Or had they meant Nede? That had occurred to you as well, but you really hope that no one asks you about it. You have no idea what to say! Besides, you don't think you can talk about it, not yet. Discovering all of those things, finding out that your mother had died thousands upon thousands of years ago, hoping to spend some time on Energy Nede to learn about your home and then having it destroy itself to save Expel... it's a lot for you to accept, and you don't know if you can be the one to tell the tale. Not yet, anyway. 

You had thought, for some reason, that coming to Tetragenis would be easy, after finding out about Nede. Why had you ever thought that? Tetragenis was nothing like either of the other places you'd visited - it was so full of people, and Opera was so important for some reason, and that made you important too. You weren't ready for this, and you didn't even consider that possibility... and now you can't go back, because you won't be able to leave again for a few years, even though you've been here a year already. 

How long have you been at that party, anyway? You've completely lost track of time. Wasn't this just supposed to be for a little while? 

You turn to Opera, hoping that she can remember. She's distracted right now, frowning as another man expounds on some sort of crazy scientific theory that you can't follow. You're a good history student, but the sorts of things that Opera talks about when she discusses her research are way over your head! You've told her that before, and she's always tried to reassure you - it's just study, she's said, and she's had a few more years to do it than you have. Still, it makes you feel awfully uncomfortable. 

"Look," she says, interrupting the man, "I'm publishing a paper on that within the next month," she said, a dismissive tone in her voice. "If you want to discuss it after I've published, you can contact me then. Excuse me." She turns to you, as the stranger walks away, visibly flustered. "Rena, you look a bit overwhelmed. Are you all right?" she asked, in a different, softer voice. 

"I need some air," you answer quickly, sounding much more miserable than you had intended to sound. 

"Yes. I think we both do." She takes your hand. She's been by your side the entire night - the one good thing about all of this. That was why you'd come with her in the first place, wasn't it? Because in the end, you'd rather follow her to a strange place than think about not seeing her again? "Come on." 

Opera leads you away from the table, and eventually the two of you end up on a brightly-lit balcony. She says something to the man who is standing by the door, but you can't hear her. You've already walked to the railing's edge and leaned against it, your head pressed against the cool metal. "Opera," you finally say, not really caring how childish you sound - you've been trying to sound like an adult all night, and frankly, you need a break. "Do we really need to stay for much longer?" 

"Frankly? If I had my way, we wouldn't have come at all." Opera sighed. You feel her hand rubbing your back, and it helps, a little. "You don't know how much I hate these events, but Mother always insists. We need to try to make a good impression, and all of that." 

"But you seem so at home here," you say. "More than I am, anyway." 

"Yes, well, I was practically raised on this sort of thing. Doesn't mean I have to enjoy it." 

"Oh." You straighten up, trying to calm down, regain your composure. "You know, it's funny, but I always thought I'd like fancy dress balls when I was a little girl in Arlia. I'd keep begging Mother and Father to take us to Krosse so that we could see one, but they said no, we couldn't afford it. But this isn't what I thought it would be like at all. I thought it would be more... more glamorous!" 

"They look that way from the outside, but from here? Let me tell you, Rena dear. It's all just _people,_ no matter what they're wearing." She leans in and plants a gentle kiss on your temple, not enough of one to smear her lipstick, but enough for the moment. "And if you're ready to start saying our goodbyes, then I'm ready too." 

"Good. I'm glad." You turn around, smiling a bit shakily. "So, can we get some ice cream on the way home? Or have some brought back to our room?" 

Opera smiled. "Sounds good to me." She kisses you again, that time on the cheek, and you give her a quick kiss back. You'll kiss her again, you think, once you're back in your room. 

You've been away from home for a year now. And it's true, maybe not everything on this planet is very comfortable, or very much like Expel. But at least you're with Opera, and as you walk back arm-in-arm with her, you think that being beside her is worth it.


End file.
